Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Envy Robs Us Of....

Hello readers,

A few days ago I shared that for lent I was trying to highlight and give up the sources of envy in my life, so that I might become a more complete person.

Well, I was struck by a lesson while watching a history channel show about the 24 hours surrounding JFK's assassination. I don't normally watch the history channel, but am always intrigued by the Kennedy's, and this particular documentary did a great job of threading together rarely seen photographs (for example: photos of Jackie in the pink suit following the coffin onto airforce one), with recordings of secret service members, staff members, and even Lady Bird Johnson telling their recollections of the day. It was laid out as a timeline, and threaded together with very interesting commentary by some leading historians. I know, I know, pretty lame, but if you have any interest in the Kennedy administration you might like the documentary. I can't remember what it was called, but I bet it will replay in the next week or so.

So you may or may not know that JFK's brother RFK (who was at the time the Attorney General) and JFK's Vice President LBJ really did not like each other, and in those first few hours and even days after the assassination, LBJ in his own words said, "I was afraid that he (RFK) would not let me be the president. As though he were thinking of ways to keep me out of the office."

That in and of itself was striking to me. LBJ had a constitutional right to become the president, and every American citizen immediately accepted that he was our new president upon learning of the assassination. Yet, LBJ's envy of RFK and his role within the Kennedy administration, led to a great insecurity on his part. LBJ was entitled to become the president, and yet doubted even that because envy, had led to insecurity.

There is your history lesson for the day readers... and you're moral lesson.... envy robs us of the ability to accept our rightful place, and our rightful inheritance. It places in us a nagging sort of self-doubt, and because of this we second guess our self worth. I always think it's amazing how when God starts moving in your life, how you see applicable lessons every where, even in places you might not look.